Dancers enjoy the music from one of the bands during the 2019 Juneteenth Celebration at Mitchelville Freedom Park on Hilton Head Island. COURTESY MITCHELVILLE PRESERVATION PROJECT
The annual Juneteenth Celebration returns to Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park on Hilton Head Island with a three-day art, food and music experience June 17-19.
Highlights include Joe McGill and The Slave Dwelling Project, the premier of the film “Juneteenth: Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and a live performances by the Grammy nominated The HamilTones and Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers.
The celebration kicks off June 17 with McGill’s Slave Dwelling Project at the park. McGill, a Civil War re-enactor and descendent of the enslaved, has slept at more than 90 sites in 18 states, exploring extant slave dwellings.
Limited space is available for in-person attendance, and the evening will be streamed on Facebook at exploremitchelville as he explores the life and living habits of the people of Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park.
On June 18, the film “Juneteenth: Lift Every Voice and Sing” will be screened at 7 p.m. at Barker Field, 70 Baygall Road. The film explores the Negro anthem through the eyes of historic museums and anthropologists from across the country.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase, but only limited seating is available, so chairs are encouraged. Admission for the film is free.
The big celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 19 at the park, highlighting the food and music customs of the people of Mitchelville, with special performances by Marlena Smalls and the Hallelujah Singers, historical re-enactment from local favorite Cora Miller, and a robust kid-zone including video games, inflatable bounce houses, and make-and-take craft stations.
The featured entertainment will be The HamilTones, who have appeared on The Steve Harvey Show, at The Apollo, and at Carnegie Hall, “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” The Breakfast Club and “Good Morning America.”
Chairs are encouraged, but no coolers will be allowed in the park. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $5 for children 6 to 12, and free for children 5 and under.
Historic Mitchelville Freedom Park is located at 229 Beach City Road on Hilton Head Island. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit exploremitchelville.org or call 843-255-7301. Tickets will also be available at the gate.
